Ndiaga Diagne, a naturalized United States citizen originally from Senegal, has died. He was 53.
The early morning silence of the 6th Street entertainment district of Austin, Texas, U.S. was shattered when a mass shooting outside Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden left the community in mourning and investigators searching for answers. The tragedy resulted in the deaths of four individuals, including the gunman, identified by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as Diagne.
The attack on 6th Street in Austin
According to Austin Police Department chief Lisa Davis, the incident began just before 2:00 a.m. on March 1, 2026 when Diagne allegedly circled the block several times in a large sport utility vehicle (SUV) before pausing with his hazard lights on. From the vehicle, he opened fire with a pistol, then drove further west to Wood Street, where he exited the vehicle to continue the assault on foot.
Officers already stationed in the high-traffic district responded within a minute, engaging Diagne in a shootout and killing him at the scene. Among the victims identified were Jorge Pederson, 30, Savitha Shan, 21, and Ryder Harrington, 19, a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. Thirteen others were hospitalized with several remaining in critical condition.
Ndiaga Diagne’s complex immigration history
Diagne first arrived in the U.S. on March 13, 2000 on a B-2 tourist visa. While such visas typically allow for a six-month stay, he remained in the country for years. In 2006, he gained lawful permanent residency after marrying a U.S. citizen.
Public records suggest a complicated domestic life involving three marriages. His first marriage ended in 2008, and he married his second wife in 2012 shortly before achieving naturalization in April 2013.
By 2017, Diagne had moved from New York, USA to the San Antonio and Pflugerville areas of Texas. His second marriage ended in a 2022 divorce marked by allegations of “cruel treatment,” with a judge noting a pattern of family violence. He denied these claims in court filings, alleging his ex-wife was obstructing his access to their two children. He remarried for a third time later that same year.
Investigation and potential motives
While local and federal authorities stated Diagne was not previously on their radar, the Federal Bureau of Investigation is currently investigating a potential nexus to terrorism. At the time of the shooting, he was wearing a sweatshirt labeled “Property of Allah,” and investigators found unspecified indicators in his vehicle that suggest a possible extremist motive.
The investigation remains active as authorities piece together how Diagne acquired his weapons in San Antonio and what triggered the violent outburst.
CONAN Daily 